


and he was happy

by winryrockbae



Series: FelixWeek2020 [4]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, felixweek2020, this is so sweet i gave myself a cavity while i was writing it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23106520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winryrockbae/pseuds/winryrockbae
Summary: I'm still begging you all to validate me.Day Four: Happy EndingsHe thought he knew what happiness was when he was younger, but that feeling didn't rival a fraction of what he felt now.
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/My Unit | Byleth
Series: FelixWeek2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1660825
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33
Collections: Felix Birthday Week 2020





	and he was happy

He had never thought that peace would be for him. He’d always held onto the notion that he would live and die by the blade, perhaps thinking that at some point during the course of the war he would fall. Just like his brother, he would die in combat. A shield as was his borne duty. But she changed all that when she stepped into the picture and forced him to readjust his views and think about his future past the next duel he’d take part in.

“Felix? What are you thinking?” His wife’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned to look at her. Upon looking at her face, his chest swelled with a rush of affection.

“About you, when we met and you asked me what I trained for.”

“That was so long ago.” Byleth laughed and rested her chin in her palm. “You were still my student and not my husband.” The ring he’d given her glittered on her finger and in a sappy show of affection unlike him, he brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. “What’s gotten into you today?”

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t hate it, love.”

There was a knock on the door and one of their maids poked her head in, a tray balanced on her hand. “Will you be taking your tea here this afternoon?”

“Yes, set it here.” Felix gathered up the papers he’d long forgotten about in lieu of his thoughts and piled them off to the side. Byleth stood with a groan and he hurried to her side to take her hand.

“I’m pregnant, not helpless.” She assured him, free hand resting on the swell of her belly. Mercedes had told them that she was expecting twins and to take it easy, which for the Archbishop was easier said than done.

“I’d like to help you as much as I can, considering I’m the one that put you in this position.” Felix held her hand in his and guided her towards the loveseat with a hand at the small of her back. She’d never admit it, but she had been having difficulty moving around as of late and she had to bite back her pride and delegate most of her duties to Seteth. “We spent most of the morning apart, I’d like to sit by you.” In recent years, especially after the birth of their first daughter, Felix had learned to be more open about his feelings and his thoughts regarding his wife. To the rest of the world outside of their home, he had hardly changed a bit. “Where is Sitri?”

“Riding with Ingrid and Sylvain. She loves horses, Felix. We’ll have to get her one of her own for her next birthday.”

“We still have some time before we have to worry about that, her birthday just passed last month. Right now you need to focus on those two.” He already knew that he was going to get his daughter the horse. He’d been in contact with several local horse breeders about a horse safe enough for a child and they were all working on training one up. It would boost their business to the stars if the Archbishop and Duke Fraldarius bought a horse from them. “You’re due any day. You really should be resting.”

“I’d go out of my mind sitting around in bed all day, if I stay in the castle I should be fine.” Byleth waved him off and sat down while reaching for her tea with a quiet huff. “Do you think they’re boys or girls? Or one of each?”

“I’m happy no matter what.”

“I know that, but what do you think? I think two more girls.”

“Really? Why girls?” Felix was intrigued, resting his elbow on the arm of his chair and his cheek on his knuckles. He wasn’t lying when he said he would be happy no matter the sex of their twins, but some small part of him had been hoping for a boy - just due to the fact of being totally outnumbered by girls in his own home. His daughter had already taken up using his long hair to practice her braids, which led to him and Byleth combing out snarls from each other’s heads before bed every night. Two more little sets of hands tangling up his hair might prompt him to cut it all off. “If you’re right, I’m going to be totally outmatched.” He lifted his tea to his lips and chuckled. “I suppose I already am.”

“Not by much, my lov-” Byleth was cut off as their daughter barreled into the room, straight for her father. With a head of dark hair that held a bluish tint in the sunlight she took after Felix in every way except for her eyes. Her dark blue eyes came from her mother. Felix put his tea down quickly to scoop Sitri up, catching her as she leapt into his lap.

“You smell like horses.” He scrunched his nose and pretended that the child stunk, causing her to erupt into a fit of giggles. His heart hammered against his chest, tightening with affection.

“Yeah! ‘Cause I was riding them!” Sitri threw her arms around his neck and pushed her messy hair into his nose, little feet pressing into his thighs in an attempt to tackle him backwards into the cushions. He gave her a moment before he started to tickle her sides, causing her laughter to escape in sweet peals. “Daddy!! That tickles!”

Over the noise of his daughter, he could hear Byleth laughing from across the table and he felt a peace that he never thought he would settle into. Domestic bliss hadn’t been something he’d ever considered on the table, for either of them, but they were doing the damn thing and it felt good.

“It sounds like you’re murdering a kid in here.” Sylvain appeared in the doorway, inviting himself in to sit down without waiting for an invitation. He sat next to Byleth and helped himself to a pastry, arm tossed over the back of the loveseat. “Ingrid just met Dimitri at the door, they should both be up here soon.”

“Hm, we’ll have to let the kitchen staff know he’s arrived before they start preparing dinner.” Felix ceased his tickling and Sitri sat in his lap, content to rest her head on his chest. She mellowed out almost instantly, clear that she was ready for a nap. But Felix wasn’t ready to give her up, she could nap on his lap if she wanted. “Are Mercedes and Dedue here?”

“They’ll be arriving today too.” Byleth absently took Sylvain’s hand and put it on her belly when one of the twins started to do flips. “Feel that?” Felix felt a small rush of jealousy, but Sylvain didn’t get to rest his head on the bump and whisper to them at night. “And not a moment too soon, I think that these two are just about ready.”

They’d invited their closest friends and housemates to the estate when the babies were to be born. It started with Sylvain and Ingrid as babysitters for Sitri and Mercedes as Byleth’s midwife, but soon enough word had spread through the Blue Lions and all of them had wanted to join. Dedue would be coming along with his wife and Dimitri insisted that he wouldn’t miss it for the world. Ashe was on a political trip with Petra and Annette was busy teaching, so to their tremendous disappointment they wouldn’t be able to make it.

“Right now?” Sylvain’s voice was laced with panic and he half stood up, ready to rush to do…. something.

“No, no.” Byleth waved a hand at him. “Sit down.”

“Sit down.” Sitri’s little voice echoed her mothers and Felix smiled as he watched his daughter mimic Byleth’s hand motion.

“We should get some fresh tea, if everyone is arriving now.” Felix, usually not so hospitable, was attempting to show his gratitude for his friends helping them out at such a busy time. They all had busy lives, but each of them was taking the time to help them. Even Ashe and Annette, who couldn’t make it, had sent along gifts for the unborn twins. “Sitri, want to ring the bell?”

The child beamed as she shook the bell vigorously, a maid appeared shortly after and passed Ingrid in the doorway while taking the cold tea away. Within minutes Sitri was snoozing in her father’s arms and the four adults were reminiscing over their time at the Academy.

“There was the time Dimitri accidentally put his fist through the greenhouse too.” Sylvain laughed.

“Which time?” The object of their discussion had appeared, clearly he had already dropped his things in his room because he was devoid of all outer layers or kingly accessories.

“All of them were equally funny.” Sylvain stood to hug their old friend, Ingrid following. Byleth stayed seated, stating that standing up only to sit back down wasn’t worth the effort. Felix nodded from his chair, Sitri still asleep.

“We’ll have dinner once Mercedes and Dedue arrive.” Byleth’s stomach grumbled and she laughed, her hands resting on her swollen belly. “I’m not that hungry, the twins are just more active at night.”

“I can’t believe Felix is the first of us to have kids.” Sylvain laughed and if it wasn’t so true, Felix might have been offended. “I always thought I’d end up with a bastard.”

“You’re not out of the woods for that just yet.” Ingrid reminded him, twisting the ring on her finger absently. “One could still turn up and then I might just have to skin you alive.”

“Mercedes and Dedue had Pascoal a year before Sitri was born.” Dimitri pointed out.

“I meant out of the four of us.” Sylvain clarified and petted Ingrid’s hand absently while his wife glared daggers at him. “I’m going to go check on dinner, the three of them should be arriving soon.” Sylvain stood up and left as the maid returned with tea and the news that the last party had arrived, just as Sylvain predicted.

“They’re getting settled and then they will join you in here.” The girl bowed out as Sitri stirred.

“Who?” Her voice was heavy with sleep, tiny fingers still curled into her father’s shirt.

“Pascoal and his parents.” Felix brushed a strand of her hair from her face and kissed her temple, leaning back to give her room to rub her eyes.

Mercedes and Dedue appeared with smiles and apologies for being so late while Pascoal was being held under one of Dedue’s arms like a sack of potatoes. He laughed as everyone greeted him by ruffling his light hair.

“I got tired and asked dad to carry me and this is what he did.” The kid laughed and kicked his feet around, earning laughter from the rest of the adults in the room. Sitri convinced him to play and the moment his feet hit the ground, the two of them made a beeline for the play set in the corner.

“He loves being carried that way. I don’t know why.” Mercedes shrugged and moved to greet Byleth, delving into questions about her pregnancy. She’d been at the estate only a week before, so her questioning didn’t last long and they were able to fall into easy conversation before Sylvain came back to inform them that dinner was ready.

“Sitri, come on.” Byleth called while Felix helped her up, the two kids ran circles around the group as they all made their way towards the dining room.

“Oh, if I could have water instead of wine, please?” Mercedes handed her glass of wine off as she sat down and found five pairs of eyes on her and Dedue. She offered her signature soft smile and her hands smoothed down the front of her dress. “I wasn’t going to say anything until later, but we’re expecting again.” Dedue beamed at his wife, holding her hand proudly as she made the announcement. Amid a chorus of congratulations they started their meal, the second set of expecting parents answering all the questions with ease. “If it’s a girl we’re thinking Serafina, if it’s a boy we like the name Roque. Which reminds me - what have you two decided for the twins?”

Felix paused in cutting Sitri’s steak, glancing to Byleth. They’d discussed a couple of names, but hadn’t settled on anything final. “We-”

“We decided to meet them first.” Byleth finished for him.

“What a lovely plan.” Mercedes nodded and Dimitri voiced his agreement.

The rest of their meal went by quickly, it felt like they had only spent moments reminiscing and laughing together before it was time to put the kids to bed, and Byleth was fading quickly. Her laughs were shorter and her eyelids drooped, everyone few moments she would stifle a yawn.

“We’re going to bed.” Felix spoke abruptly, helping Byleth up from her chair. She said a quiet goodnight to their friends and thanked Ingrid for offering to put Sitri to bed when the child finished her dessert. Felix led her upstairs, helped her get changed into her nightclothes and pressed his nose against the back of her neck when he got into bed with her. “I can’t wait to meet them.” He whispered into the dark.

“You don’t have much longer to wait.” Byleth assured him as she drifted off. He was not far behind, he fell asleep with an arm tossed over her hip and a hand splayed across her stomach.

Felix was awoken by his wife violently shaking his shoulder, he jolted up and out of bed when he felt something wet on his legs.

“My water broke, go get Mercedes.”

His brain took a moment to process her words, but within the minute he was sprinting down the hall to Mercedes and Dedue’s room. He threw the door open, light from the hallway flooded over their sleeping forms and Mercedes woke up right away. It was clear she knew what was happening as without word she got up, pulled on her robe and touched Dedue’s arm. A tired mumble of “Let me know if you need anything” from the man before Mercedes was following Felix down the hallway.

“Hold her hand.” Mercedes instructed, getting to work.

To Felix, the labor felt like it lasted forever. He could only imagine how it felt to his wife. As with Sitri, she handled it like the miracle woman she was, gritting her teeth and taking the contractions as they came without complaint. After particularly rough ones, she’d tighten her grip on his hand but her expressions stayed as focused and determined as ever. He couldn’t be more in love with her if he tried, though he didn’t think that the right time to tell her was while she had her knees up and Mercedes between her legs. Even when Mercedes instructed her to push, she never faltered for a moment. Sunlight was peeking through the curtains when Felix heard the shrill cry of the first twin, Byleth breathing a sigh of relief as Mercedes held up their little girl. A brief repose was offered to Byleth as Mercedes cleaned baby number one.

“Do you remember what we did with Sitri?” Mercedes asked, holding the bare baby out to Byleth. Felix could hardly remember, but when Byleth opened her robe and Mercedes placed the baby on her chest he remembered. He took a blanket and placed it over the two of them, only their heads revealed as Byleth rested one hand on the baby’s tiny back. Felix was overjoyed, he wanted nothing more than to kiss his wife and congratulate her - but they weren’t done. “Byleth, are you ready to push again? The second one should come easier.”

“Ready.”

Mercedes was right and Felix had hardly stopped reeling from the first baby when the cries of the second filled the room. Mercedes took the baby to clean, running warm water and a soft towel over the new skin. “Another girl.” Three girls. He was the proud father of three beautiful girls with an equally beautiful wife. The second baby was placed on Byleth’s chest next to her sister, Mercedes cleaning Byleth up and adjusting the blankets before she took her leave. “Congratulations, they’re beautiful and healthy.”

Mercedes must have sent Sitri to them, the now older sister rushed into the room excitedly and crawled onto the bed. “Gentle, Sitri.” Felix burned the image of all four of his girls crowded together in the bed in his mind. “I was thinking of names, but I only thought of boy names.” Felix admitted, running a finger along one of the baby’s little hands.

“Let me recover from this before we talk about having boys.” Byleth smiled at him, tired but exuberant.

“We have to name these two first.”

“I was thinking, maybe Lyra.” Byleth pressed her lips against the soft head of the first twin.

“Maybe… Luna, too.”

“Those are pretty names.” Sitri offered, stroking the backs of her baby sisters.

“They are.”

Felix leaned forward and kissed each of his daughters softly on their heads, and lastly he bent to kiss his wife, his lips turned upwards into a soft smile while they lingered on Byleth’s. When he was young, he thought that he knew what happiness was. It was what he felt when he was swinging a blade around. But that was different, it was probably more satisfaction than happiness. The feeling that he was working towards his goal with earnest. But now, all these years later he had learned what it was to be happy, and he was in the end, truly happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a reminder that I reposted these because I like them as separate fics instead of chapters in the same fic. 
> 
> follow me on twitter @winryrockbae


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